


You really ain't going nowhere without a fight

by PumpkinSoldier



Series: Gladio Week 2020 [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M, Hurt Gladiolus Amicitia, Hurt No Comfort, Not Beta Read, World of Ruin (Final Fantasy)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:14:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28108401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PumpkinSoldier/pseuds/PumpkinSoldier
Summary: Gladio can't remember a time where he's felt worse. His entire body feels like it's on fire, hair plastered to his face by sweat.His chest heaves with each breath, the deep gashes on his back sting each time he moves the slightest amount.There's a photo beside him. It was of everyone at Caem, the day before they left for Altissia, before everything went to shit - well, worse than it already was.~☆~Day Six of Gladio WeekPrompt used: out here in the darkness, one wrong move is the difference between life and death
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Aranea Highwind
Series: Gladio Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2046347
Kudos: 5
Collections: Gladio Week





	You really ain't going nowhere without a fight

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is mt day six for gladio week!! TYSM to Anna for arranging this amazing week to celebrate Gladio 💜
> 
> Please let me know if I missed any tags and I'll add them ASAP! 
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

Gladio can't remember a time where he's felt worse. His entire body feels like it's on fire, hair plastered to his face by sweat. 

His chest heaves with each breath, the deep gashes on his back sting each time he moves the slightest amount. 

There's a photo beside him. It was of everyone at Caem, the day before they left for Altissia, before everything went to shit - well, worse than it already was. 

He didn't reach out for the photo, content with leaving it beside him, he didn't want to get anything on it. Whether it was blood or the Scourge. For now it was just the waiting game to see if he turned.

He'd been ambushed by a group of daemons just outside of Lestallam - the attack and his injury kept hushed to the residents. Only Cor, Ignis and Aranea knew. 

Cor and Ignis were the ones to find him, immediately removing his weapons from his person, and quarantined him in the abandoned parts of the city until Aranea arrived - and then they'd chained him to one of the corners of her airship. 

Aranea stood guard over him, her lance propped up on the wall beside her, arms crossed with a furious look on her face. "We gonna talk about this or what?" 

"What are you talking about?" Gladio asked, a sinking feeling pooled in his stomach as she glared at him. 

He already dealt with the disappointment from Cor. The look the Marshall had given him was awful. Full of pity and despair. 

Gladio hated it. 

He knew he failed. He knew he messed up by getting hurt in the first place. 

He was even grateful for a moment that Ignis couldn't see how badly he was injured, so he wouldn't see the disappointment in Ignis's eyes either.

How ducked was that? Grateful for his friend being blind. 

"You went out there alone. With no back up. Nothing!" She hissed. "For all the crazy you give blondie about wandering off on his own you're terrible at following your own advice. Thought all you idiots were all over your self sacrificing bullshit. You all need to be here for Princey's return right?" 

"Why the hell do you care so much?" Gladio found himself getting angry. "Never took you for such a believer in the prophecy." 

"I don't. I care because we can't afford to be losing anyone out here. Because I'm not going to be the one to tell your friends that you died because you were too stubborn and proud to take back up with you!" Aranea yelled. "One wrong move is the difference between life and death. One wrong move, and  _ everything  _ is taken away. Are you really okay with that?" 

Gladio sighed. 

He really had messed up. He got  _ Aranea  _ worried about him. 

The two of them had grown close since the Light fell, falling into each other's  beds when the opportunity arose.  He had grown used to waking up and seeing her laying with him  from the defined and toned muscles on her back, to the cascade of silver hair fanned out on the pillow beneath him. 

"You know. You were the one person who I thought wouldn't break out here. I thought you would survive this." 

"And if I don't -" Gladio cut her off. "You need to be the one to drive your lance through my skull and toss me into the incinerator. I won't hurt the others. It's already bad enough that I got hurt in the first place." 

"Are you even listening to yourself?! This is ridiculous." 

"You'd do the same for anyone else. Why is it so different for me." 

"Because you're talking like you're giving up Amicitia." She said. "Your King won't like that." 

Gladio let out a bitter laugh. "It's been three years. There's no telling when he's coming back. I wasn't strong enough to protect him then, and I wasn't strong enough to protect anyone else." 

"Get your head out of your ass." She hissed, it looked like her eyes were watering. "You're the Shield of the Chosen King of Life or whatever it is this bullshit prophecy is saying. You are not allowed to give up. There are too many people counting on you to make it through this. These people care about you - they need you-" 

"Nobody needs me-"

"Everyone needs you. Iris needs you, Ignis needs you, Prompto needs you. Hell even Cor needs you." Aranea yelled at him, tears forming in her eyes. "I need you here. I can't have you falling apart on me. I'm not putting a bullet through your skull because you are going to make it out of this." 

"You really think so?" Gladio asked. 

"I know so. And when you are better, I'm kicking your ass." 

Gladio laughed. "Think Prompto'll beat you to it. He's probably gonna be pissed we didn't tell him." 

"He'll get over it." Aranea said, she wandered over to him, and sat next to him crossed legged. She leant on him, resting her head on his shoulder, and reached out to grab onto his free hand, linking their fingers together. "Just the waiting game now. You've survived ten hours. Only another fourteen to go." 

"Eh. I don't mind too much. The company I got is pretty good." 

  
  



End file.
